Further Resources: Mobile signal survey: key results

5:     Key results

The total number of responses at 4th April 2020 was 54, excluding duplicates.

5.1:     Network usage

There are four networks covering Avonwick, each of which serves a number of mobile telephone companies as well as a primary operator:

  1. Network Group 1: EE; also used by ASDA Mobile, BT Mobile, Plusnet Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Utility Warehouse, 1pMobile, The Phone Coop, Orange, T-Mobile
  2. Network Group 2: 02; also used by Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, LycaMobile
  3. Network Group 3: Three; also used by iD Mobile, Smarty, FreedomPop
  4. Network Group 4: Vodafone; also used by Voxi, Lebara Mobile, Talk Mobile

 

Figure 1: Number of respondents using each network

 

Figure 1 shows the network usage. The majority (79%) of respondents are connected to Groups 1 (45%) and 2 (34%).

5.2:     Signal Strength Outside

All respondents answered this question.

  • 68% said that they had no useable signal outside their house
  • 32% said that they had a useable signal outside their house.

Figure 2: Signal strength outside respondents’ houses

 

42% of respondents reported no signal at all outside their houses, while a further 45% reported just one ‘bar’ of signal. Section 6.2 below shows that this is significantly worse than official estimates.

Of those reporting 1 bar, over half considered this signal unusable.

Only two respondents reported signal strengths of 3 bars or more: one was located outside the main village envelope, the other is considered an inaccurate entry and has been discounted, as the respondent still considered the signal to be unusable.

Notwithstanding the strength of signal outside, in the responses to our question about the difficulties encountered with signal in Avonwick, one respondent made the relevant point that signal outside the house is unsuitable for confidential conversations such as financial discussions, as they can be overheard.

5.3:     Signal strength in the Main Areas of the House

All respondents answered this question.

  • 83% said they had no useable signal in the main areas of their house.
  • 17% said they had a useable signal in the main areas of their house.

Figure 3: Signal strength in main living areas of respondents’ houses

 

75% of respondents reported no signal at all in the main areas of their house, while a further 19% reported just 1 bar.

Half of those reporting 1 bar considered this unusable.

The only recorded signal strength of 3 bars is outside the main village envelope.

One of the responses recording 2 bars is considered an inaccurate entry and has been discounted, as the respondent still considered the signal to be unusable.

5.4:     Maximum Signal Anywhere in the House

All respondents answered this question.

  • 58% said they had no useable signal anywhere in their house.
  • 42% said they had a useable signal somewhere in their house.
    • But 64% of those who could get a signal somewhere in the house said that they can only get a useable signal away from the main areas of their house.

Figure 4: Best signal achieved anywhere in respondents’ houses

 

40% of respondents reported no signal at all in the main areas of their house, while a further 40% reported just 1 bar.

Half of those reporting 1 bar considered this unusable.

One respondent recorded a signal strength of 3 bars inside the main village envelope, but noted in the written comments that this varied between 2 and 3 bars.

One of the responses recording 1 bar is considered an inaccurate entry, as the respondent noted a higher signal strength in the main areas of the house, and has been discounted.

5.5:     Signal type

We asked respondents to tell us if they could obtain 2G, 3G or 4G signals in their houses. Most respondents did not answer this question, and it is assumed that it was not understood or that respondents did not know how to check this.

Most of the remainder noted either 3G or 4G signals. However, it is possible that these have also misunderstood the question as at least one respondent reported a 3G signal but no ‘bars’, suggesting a confusion between mobile internet and domestic WiFi.

We therefore do not consider the results to this question to be reliable.

5.6:     Location

All the respondents gave their location, with only one not providing a house number or name.

The majority of respondents were located in the central village envelope, from Higher Moor to the church and from Church Walk to Sunnyside.

Figure 5 shows the approximate locations of the majority of respondents, indicating that we received a good representation of signals across the central envelope of the village.

Figure 5: Approximate locations of respondents (map data © OpenStreetMap contributors)

Map of respondents to the survey, mostly within the main body of the village.

5.7:     Significant Inconvenience

We asked respondents to tell us if they had experienced significant inconvenience as a result of the mobile telephone signal at their house.

74% of respondents told us that they had experienced inconvenience, excluding one person who used the space to clarify a previous response.

  • 36% of respondents mentioned the impact on their work or business (note that this is before the coronavirus pandemic forced more people to work from home)
  • 15% of respondents mentioned difficulties with online banking and transactions
  • 23% of respondents mentioned particular difficulties with SMS text messages
  • 2 respondents specifically mentioned health-related concerns, including one who reported difficulty summoning help during a previous medical emergency.

There was widespread frustration expressed at the restrictions on mobile telephone functionality at home. Voice calls and SMS text messaging are very difficult for most respondents, with calls regularly missed and text messages received long after they were sent.

Several respondents mentioned that they successfully use “WiFi calling”, pairing their mobile telephone to their home wireless network and using Voice Over IP (VOIP) to connect their mobile telephones to the networks. However, some felt this to be unreliable.

A few respondents commented that they would have no means of summoning help in a power cut as they rely on cordless telephones attached to their PSTN telephone lines; they should be reminded that a corded telephone would still work without mains power at present. However, it is uncertain if this will remain an option with current plans to discontinue PSTN telephone lines from 2025[1].

A full list of responses is given in Appendix 2.

[1] https://www.bt.com/about/special-services/latest-news/all-ip-plans1


Previous page: Introduction and Survey Method | Next page: Comparison with Official Signal Status | Survey Home